Hilton Builds on Success of First Celebrity-Driven Campaign, ‘Expect Better. Expect Hilton.’ with Debut of New Creative Work Featuring Anna Kendrick
Consumers are responding positively to campaign as new creative work debuts
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MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton is following up on the success of its first-ever celebrity-focused campaign starring Anna Kendrick with new “Expect Better. Expect Hilton.” TV commercials and social content. The new creative work, which will roll out over the coming months, showcases the extra benefits that guests receive when they book directly with Hilton’s family of 17 brands.
Since the launch of Hilton’s “Expect Better. Expect Hilton.” campaign in September 2018, consumers have responded to the call for them to “expect better” when booking hotel stays directly through Hilton – receiving Hilton Honors perks such as Choose Your Room, free Wi-Fi and Digital Key plus the assurance of Hilton’s Price Match Guarantee. The cheeky marketing campaign, where Anna’s personality and multi-generational appeal bring the innovative Hilton brand to life, has seen double-digit growth in brand consideration among leisure travelers who saw the TV ads, and increased consumers’ intent to book direct at Hilton.com or through the Hilton Honors app for their next trip.
Since the campaign’s launch, Hilton has seen strong success metrics showing that the message is resonating with key audiences. Booking intent has increased nearly 10 percent among people who would normally book through third-party travel companies. Recent data also show a significant increase in consumer perception that they are getting the best price when they book direct with Hilton. The hospitality company has seen a significant uptick in new guests who have not previously stayed with the brand. Membership in the free-to-join, award-winning Hilton Honors rewards program has grown to more than 94 million members, a 20 percent increase over the previous year.
Additionally, its message is resonating with younger consumers, specifically millennials and Generation Z, where Hilton has also seen a double-digit percent increase in leisure consideration among consumers ages 18 to 34. These travelers are frequent users of the Hilton Honors app, enabling Hilton to connect with them and share benefits while they are on property. In turn, millennials are actively sharing their experiences on social media as brand advocates, further amplifying the value of Hilton’s perks.
“‘Expect Better. Expect Hilton.’ is a campaign truly rooted in a singular message we heard from our customers – that we have all been conditioned to expect less when we travel. And at Hilton, we are determined to change that,” said Kellyn Smith Kenny, Hilton’s chief marketing officer. “We want this campaign to continue to give voice to the consumer. It’s all part of Hilton’s ongoing effort to be the traveler’s champion, and through developing more direct relationships with our guests, we’re able to provide more seamless, personalized and stress-free trips from the planning stage to the trip’s completion.”
Hilton launched the initial campaign in September 2018 after speaking with thousands of travelers in the U.S. and abroad, and learning that many had been conditioned to expect less and approach travel planning with skepticism. Hilton wanted to address those frustrations and take a stand for consumers by educating them about how to take advantage of the best prices and perks available to them when they book direct.
This latest iteration of the “Expect Better. Expect Hilton.” campaign was developed in partnership with advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day New York. It will include content for TV, radio and social-first digital content optimized for specific social media platforms. For example, for the first time, Hilton’s campaign will appear in Pinterest’s new ad units.
In addition to the Price Match Guarantee, in which Hilton will match a lower qualified price* if found by consumers on another site plus an additional 25 percent off that stay, the “Expect Better. Expect Hilton.” campaign highlights the benefits of booking direct as a member of Hilton Honors, Hilton’s free-to-join loyalty program, including:
- Honors Discount: Members qualify for an additional discount on all of the nearly 5,900 Hilton hotels across the collection of 17 Hilton brands when they book directly on Hilton.com or on the Hilton Honors app.
- Choose Your Room and Digital Key: Through the Hilton Honors app, members can pre-select their room from a digital floorplan, download a digital key before arriving and unlock their room with their smartphone at select properties.
- Exclusive Offers: Hilton reserves special offers and promotions exclusively for members, accessible through the Hilton Honors Experiences Platform. There, members can bid on private concerts with their favorite artists, customized experiences with celebrities and all-access tickets to must-see concerts, sporting events, amazing culinary events and more.
- Free Wi-Fi: Members receive free in-room and lobby Wi-Fi during stays.
- Points Towards Free Nights: Members can earn Points for every night they stay.
Guests can book their stays directly with Hilton through any official Hilton website or call center, the Hilton Honors app, at a Hilton property or through an accredited travel agent.
To learn more, visit Hilton.com.
*Terms and conditions are available on the Hilton website.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,400 properties and more than one million rooms, in 119 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, earned a top spot on the 2020 World’s Best Workplaces list, and was named the 2020 Global Industry Leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. In 2020, Hilton CleanStay was introduced, bringing an industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection to hotels worldwide. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 112 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy, plus enjoy instant benefits, including contactless check-in with room selection, Digital Key, and Connected Room. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
About Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors is the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton’s 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,400 properties in 119 countries and territories. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount, and free Standard WiFi. Members also have access to contactless technology exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app where Hilton Honors members can check-in, choose their room and access their room using Digital Key. Hilton Honors offers its more than 112 million members hundreds of ways to earn and redeem Points. Members can redeem their Points for free nights, premium merchandise and items on Amazon Shop with Points, and make charitable contributions. The program is free to join, and travelers may enroll online by visiting www.hiltonhonors.com. Learn more about Hilton Honors at newsroom.hilton.com/hiltonhonors, and follow Hilton Honors on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.